Game #23 Preview: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes

Where: RBC Center, Raleigh, NC

When:  November 24, 2010 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 4-10-2-0

Caps Game 23 Record: 12-15-6-2

All-Time vs. CAR: 37-23-7-5

All-Time at CAR: 16-12-5-4

Last Season vs. CAR: 3-1-2

Last Meeting: 10/27/10, WAS 3 CAR 0

This Year:

WAS Record: 14-6-2

Standings Points: 30

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd      

Last Game: 11/22/10, WAS 0 NJ 5

Streak: Loss 3

CAR Record: 9-9-2

Standings Points: 20

Division Rank: 4th

Conference Rank: 10th    

Last Game: 11/20/10, CAR 1 NAS 2 (OT-SO)

Streak: Loss 2

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 2: 14 FLEISCHMANN, 21 LAICH, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 90 JOHANSSON,10 BRADLEY

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL, 15 GORDON

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 4 ERSKINE, 89 SLOAN

Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Back-up Goalie: 70 HOLTBY

Carolina

Forward Line 1: 14 SAMSONOV, 12 STAAL, 59 LAROSE

Forward Line 2: 36 JOKINEN, 16 SUTTER, 39 DWYER

Forward Line 3: 53 SKINNER, 15 RUUTU, 26 COLE

Forward Line 4: O’SULLIVAN, 18 MATSUMOTO, 19 TLUSTY

Defense Pair 1: 6 GLEASON, 77 CORVO

Defense Pair 2: 25 PITKANEN, 7 WHITE

Defense Pair 3: 4 MCBAIN, 44 HARRISON

Goalie: 30 WARD

Back-up Goalie: 60 PETERS

Injuries:

Washington – 30 NEUVIRTH (leg) DTD, 3 POTI (lower body) IR, 22 KNUBLE (jaw) IR

CAR – None

Caps Milestones:

Eric Fehr will play in career game #200 tonight.

Jason Chimera needs 1 point to reach 200 in his career.

Preview:

With three losses in a row, Washington heads to Raleigh to face Southeast Division rival Carolina. The Caps have been terrible on the road this with a 5-4-1 record while they are 10-1-1 at home. The Capitals inconsistent play and porous defense has led to 14 goals against in the last three games. The team will look to get back to basics on the road tonight. Watch for the team to get back to the systems that made Washington the highest goal scoring team in the league last season. I think the Caps will pull out a victory tonight but it will be much tighter than you would normally think.  

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 CAR 2

Official Preview